HONOLULU (KHON2) -- In response to continued interest from the Waikīkī, Mōʻiliʻili and McCully communities, the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Transportation Services (DTS) is increasing opportunities for public input on the design of the Ala Pono Pedestrian Bridge (formerly known as the Ala Wai Pedestrian Bridge). The bridge, a key part of the city’s Complete Streets initiative, is aimed at improving pedestrian and bicycle access along the Ala Wai Canal located in Waikīkī. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The City and County of Honolulu, in collaboration with the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation (HDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), has announced several new efforts to better engage the public in the bridge’s design process. One significant change is the adoption of the “design-build” procurement process which will allow the City and County to solicit alternative design options to the current cable-stayed bridge design. This move aims to ensure the final design reflects a broader range of ideas and meets the needs of the community. “Community input is crucial to shaping the final design of the bridge,” said Roger Morton, DTS Director. “The Ala Pono Pedestrian Bridge is an important piece of the City’s transportation network, and we want to make sure that it works for everyone who will use it.” As part of this effort, at least three consulting parties from the National Historic Preservation Act Section 106 will be invited to review design proposals and provide recommendations. These experts will help evaluate how the new structure could impact historic sites and resources in the area. In addition to this, the City and County will hold two additional public charrettes (design workshops) to solicit feedback from residents on the preferred bridge design. These workshops will take place on Nov. 20 and Nov. 23, with specific locations to be announced on the Ala Pono project website. The public input gathered at these workshops will be summarized and used to help refine the design proposals. In 2019, during the environmental review process, an Alternatives Analysis was conducted to explore various bridge designs and configurations and gathered public input on the preferred option. The draft Environmental Assessment was then released in 2021. The City and County plans to issue the Design-Build Request for Proposal (RFP) in 2025 with a contract expected to be awarded later that same year. Construction is slated to begin soon after, and the project is expected to take about three years to complete. While these new community engagement efforts go beyond federal requirements, the City and County of Honolulu has also opted to extend the environmental review process. A public comment period will be added before the final environmental document is adopted as a means of providing an additional opportunity for residents to weigh in. The project has already secured significant funding. In 2023, the City and County was awarded a $25 million federal discretionary grant to help offset the $63 million estimated cost of the bridge. Additional federal formula funds is expected to cover 80% of the bridge's total cost with the remaining 20% being provided by the City and County of Honolulu. Community concerns have also prompted specific changes to the bridge’s surrounding amenities. The City and County will use federal funding to reconfigure a comfort station adjacent to the bridge which will expand its facilities to better serve the public. Additionally, a local funding allocation of $1 million will go toward the construction of a new canoe hālau (canoe shelter) near the bridge. This facility will be included in the design-build contract, provided its construction does not interfere with the bridge’s timeline. “The Hawai‘i Department of Transportation fully supports the City’s efforts to improve access for the Waikīkī, Mōʻiliʻili, and McCully neighborhoods,” said HDOT Director Ed Sniffen. “We encourage everyone in these communities to participate in the design process to ensure that the project meets their needs and improves transportation options for all residents.” The Ala Pono Pedestrian Bridge will connect the Waikīkī side of the canal at Kalaimoku Street with the Mōʻiliʻili side at University Avenue. When completed, the bridge will provide a safer, more accessible route for pedestrians and cyclists and will improve mobility and connectivity in the area. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHON's morning podcast, every morning at 8 So, will the City and County of Honolulu have the vision to make this happen in an efficient and timely manner? Or will it end up costing billions of dollars with no end in sight for full use?